1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems for repairing automotive vehicle radiators.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, when an automotive vehicle develops a radiator leak, or when the vehicle radiator otherwise becomes damaged, the vehicle cannot be driven. Serious engine damage is likely to occur if a vehicle is driven with a defective radiator. When an automotive vehicle radiator becomes defective on the road, a motorist with a leaking or damaged radiator is usually forced to call a vehicle towing service. Road towing services assess charges for towing according to the distance that the disabled vehicle is towed. Road towing services are rather expensive, so it is to the advantage of the motorist for the vehicle to be towed as short a distance as possible. Typically the towing service will tow the disabled vehicle and drop it at the nearest automotive vehicle service station or garage facility.
Most automotive vehicle service stations, and many garages, do not have the capability of repairing automotive vehicle radiators. Since the equipment necessary to repair radiators is highly specialized for that purpose, the capital investment involved simply cannot be justified by many service station and garage owners. Furthermore, specialized skill is required in order to effectuate radiator repairs. Most personnel of roadside and highway service stations simply are not trained to perform the necessary tasks in repairing radiators as the expense of such training cannot be justified by the number of instances that radiator repair expertise is utilized at general automotive repair facilities.
To effectuate vehicle radiator repairs, the skilled use of a blowtorch is usually necessary to melt solder in order to patch holes in the radiator. Also, specialized knowledge and skill is required in order to properly flush blockages from the radiator and to locate all of the leaks in a radiator and properly repair them. Accordingly, it is the usual and customary practice for most service stations to remove a leaking or damaged radiator and take it to a specialized radiator repair shop. The radiator is repaired at the shop and then must be picked up by service station personnel. If the radiator is dropped off and later picked up, two round trips to the radiator repair shop are necessary by some member of the service station staff. In this event the vehicle is disabled for an inordinately long time due to the necessity for delivering and subsequently picking up the radiator. Alternatively, if a member of the service station staff waits at the radiator repair shop for the radiator to be repaired, there is frequently a considerable period of unproductive waiting time. In either event, radiator repairs performed according to conventional practice are both excessively time consuming and inordinately expensive.